Ingredient List

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 small bay leaf
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 16-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 stalk celery, finely diced (1/2 cup)
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus a few sprigs for garnish
 
Directions

 1. Bring broth, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper and 2 cups water to a boil in large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 5 minutes. Add chickpeas, sweet potatoes, celery and mustard, simmer 10 to 12 minutes or more(until vegetables are very soft).
2. Mash vegetables and chickpeas to chunky purée with potato masher or large spoon. (Chickpeas will remain mostly whole.) Stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish each serving with parsley sprig.

 

 

All major fast food chains are now required to report the amount of calories in their food. Many sit-down restaurant chains are doing the same. Unfortunately, it seems their reporting is not very accurate, according to a recent study conducted by Tufts University.
 
Researchers collected 18 side dishes and entrées from national sit-down restaurants (including Denny's, Applebee's, P.F. Chang's, and Olive Garden), 11 side dishes and entrées from national fast food restaurants (McDonald's, Taco Bell, Dunkin' Donuts, Wendy's and Dominos) and 10 frozen meals purchased from supermarkets (Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers, Healthy Choice, South Beach and Bell & Evans).  They then analyzed the calorie content of these food items and compared it to the calorie information provided to the public by the companies/restaurants.
 
The calorie information provided by the companies/restaurants was, on average, 18 percent less than what the researchers found. For example, if a restaurant reported that a chicken entrée contained 600 calories, the researchers analysis discovered that the entrée actually contained 708 calories. 
  
Two side dishes at Denny's, the grits with butter and the dry white toast, exceeded the restaurant's reported calorie information by nearly 200 percent. The calorie content information reported by packaged food companies averaged 8 percent less than what the researchers found. The researchers believe this is because the current Food and Drug Administration rules are more lenient towards underreporting calories than over reporting them.
 
Bottom Line: Restaurant foods tend to be higher in calories, fat and sodium than food you might prepare yourself and now, with this new information, eating at home seems even more appetizing.
 
Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2010; 110(1):116-123